Hypocrisy and double talks – Emir of Kuwait calls for interfaith cooperation while fueling sectarianism in the region

SHAFAQNA – Kuwait’s emir, speaking days after an attack claimed by Islamic state killed 21 Shia in neighboring Saudi Arabia, said on Wednesday sectarian strife was the most serious threat facing Muslims and called for immediate action to tackle it.

Speaking at the opening session of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah said Muslim countries must work together to confront terrorism. His remarks were echoed by Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister.

“We must take a serious stand on the sectarian malady that has been shaking the structure of our nation and fragments it,” the emir told foreign ministers and representatives from the 57-member OIC at its annual meeting.

“This fanaticism is the most dangerous to the existence of our nation … We are all losers in this conflict, and the winner is the one who wants to inflame this destructive strife for their own objectives …”

And though no one can disagree with such statement – indeed radicalism and fanaticism are the greatest enemies the Muslim community has ever faced, it has become impossible to ignore the double-talks and hypocrisy coming out of both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, since both those powers have played sectarianism and terrorism to forward their political agendas.

This last attack on Qatif against Saudi Arabia Shia community was carried out by the very fanatics the Kingdom has bred and groomed. Wahhabism it has already been established stand at the core root of terror – all under the protection of Gulf monarchies.

Gulf monarchies have pushed and enticed sectarian sentiment by demonizing and criminalizing Shia Islam. And therefore any condemnation today against sectarian-motivated violence remains empty of all meaning as far as Gulf monarchies are concerned.

At a time when Shia Muslims in Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq and Syria are being targeted by Sunni radicals, all under the guise of the likes of Saudi Arabia, any talks of peace will only stand witness of powers’ hypocrisy.